Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can
take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day
of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done
everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around
your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet
fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions
with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always
keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:10-18(NIV)
Stand firm then...with your feet fitted with the
readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (v. 15)
What made a soldier's
footwear different than everyone else's?
During that time, many went barefoot or wore simple sandals. A warrior's footwear, however, had to be a
bit more durable, heavier duty. A
warrior had to walk on city streets and country roads, soft green meadows and
creek beds full of stone, level ground and rocky crags. If the ground was hot, and the battle raged
on, he could not wait for the cool of the evening to press on. He had to be able to move forward regardless
of what the earth lay in front of him.
Whenever, wherever the
battle cry sounded, his feet were properly fitted and he was ready to go.
So then, are we to be
ready.
The footing before us may
be rough, hard, sharp, or slippery. But
it matters not! We are able to walk
wherever, whenever we are called.
We have this capability
because of the gospel of peace which protects us, regardless of what the world
lays in front of us. The knowledge of
our salvation, and that salvation is available to all we encounter, gives us
the peace needed to move to and fro through this world with confidence.
Questions:
1. What is your take on
this verse?
2. How do you protect
your 'feet'?
3. Are you able to move
through this world, confident in the Gospel?
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